I woke up Wednesday and there it was.  The feeling none of us enjoys but all of us are familiar with, I had the first signs of a COLD.  My Health was on the decline. I HATE BEING SICK.  I got up went downstairs and looked for anything and everything I knew to do to stop this thing dead in its tracks.  I ate a banana, an apple, drank some water and then attacked the vitamin cupboard.  Physical health is NEVER something to take lightly, but why is it that so many of us treat our bodies as a dumping ground for garbage food and then are surprised when we get sick?

An apple a day keeps the free radicals away.

God cares about our bodies.  He is the giver of life who enables every beat of our heart and breath in our lungs.  Life is a gift and a privilege from Him and he expects us to do something good with what we have been given.  The bible says, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? ” (1 Corinthians 6:15) This means that our bodies are connected to the very Spirit of the living God through the power of Jesus.  So what should we be doing with our bodies to keep them healthy, glorifying God?

Three Principles of Physical Health…

1. Management Principle –  God expects me to manage my body.   Let’s talk about food.  It’s up to you, and what you put in now you will reap later in your physical health. Food is the gateway to our feelings and emotions.  One reason so many people feel like garbage is because they put garbage in their bodies.  Let me just give you one:  High fructose corn syrup, or HFCS.  This stuff is basically poison for you and it’s in soda and too many other things! Don’t even get me started on diet soda, it isn’t any better.  Did you know that one soda a day is equal to twenty pounds of extra weight over the course of a year?  We are the gatekeepers of our body and that starts with controlling our mouths, what we put in.   

Here are some reasons you need to manage your body well according to the CDC Website…

• In 2008, over 616,000 people died of heart disease. Heart disease caused almost 25% of deaths, almost one in every four in the United States.  The primary cause of heart disease is bad diet.

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2008 were in men.

• Every year, about 785,000 Americans have their first heart attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks have another attack.

• In 2010, coronary heart disease alone was projected to cost the United States $108.9 billion. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.

Question: What is one habit you need to start & stop to limit this risk in your own life?

2. Ownership Principle – My body is God’s property.  So many people find comfort in food, and that is not a bad thing!  God gives us everything for our enjoyment, but he owns us.  Addiction, compulsion and inactivity are huge problems in our culture.  What about you?  Let me ask you three simple questions to see if you really are living under the ownership principle.

• Do you exercise?  I am not talking about being a marathon runner or an Olympic athlete.  I am just talking about regular exercise four times, a week 20-30 minutes a session.  I am not talking about a gym membership either.  Walk, jog, play basketball, but just do something that gets your blood pumping to stay healthy.

•  Do you limit the free radical four?  Alcohol, caffeine, sugar and sugar substitutes, and cholesterol?  in excess, these will KILL YOU!  Eliminating these for most people feels unrealistic and out of reach, but limiting them is a very reasonable goal.

• When was the last time you saw your doctor?  Don’t wait to see him until your body breaks down.  Make your physician a regular part of your physical health plan.  You need to know your blood pressure, cholesterol, body fat numbers etc.  These are not scary numbers, these are essential pieces of information if you are going to honor the ownership principle.

Question: What is your motivation to take a risk and try one of the above in the new year?  Maybe it’s because you want to see your grand children graduate from college!

3. Eternity Principle – My body will be resurrected after I die. The bible promises us that we get a new body in 1 Corinthians 6:14,  “And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.” This is a pretty amazing thing as we struggle forward with our current bodies.  Do you have a nagging ache or a pain?  Maybe you have a terminal illness? God is not leaving us here with these bodies, but he will resurrect them as a new flawless spiritual body!  We don’t know exactly what they will look and feel like, but we do know that Revelation says we won’t hunger, thirst, or have any tears in our eyes.  This should propel us forward to complete the mission of God, anticipating all that he has for us in our life after our physical death, for those who believe and trust in Jesus!

Question: When was the last time you thought about the future body you are going to receive as a NEW gift from God?

It’s time for a FRESH START IN YOUR HEALTH!  Take care of that hot body of yours!

I Would love to see you at 217church at 9:30 & 11 am at AMC 24 theaters in Hamilton, NJ as we explore this truth further this Sunday.

• January 13 – Fresh Start in Your Health
• January 20 – Fresh Start in Your Faith

Josh